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Type 1 diabetes: Make the grade

Welcome to your Type 1 diabetes: Make the grade campaign.

Type 1 diabetes: Make the grade is campaigning to make sure all children with Type 1 diabetes get the support and care that they deserve at school so that they are safe, happy and have equal opportunities at school.

We know good care is possible because we’re seeing it happen, and we want to make sure it happens right across the UK. We know many schools and families need a helping hand, that’s why with your help we are working together with children, parents and carers, schools, healthcare professionals and the Government to achieve great care for all children with Type 1.

Together we are campaigning to raise awareness to make sure that all schools make the grade for children and young people living with Type 1 diabetes. Together we are campaigning to raise awareness to make sure that all schools make the grade for children and young people living with Type 1 diabetes.

Award your school We think schools that give good care deserve an award. And that’s what we’ve been doing up and down the country since we launched the Good Diabetes Care in School Award just over a year ago. We’ve given the Award to over 130 schools. See which schools have the Award on our Honour Wall and nominate your school here. We think schools that give good care deserve an award. And that’s what we’ve been doing up and down the country since we launched the Good Diabetes Care in School Award just over a year ago. We’ve given the Award to over 130 schools.See which schools have the Award on our Honour Wallandnominate your school here.

Together we have changed the law in EnglandNow schools in England have a legal duty to support children with medical conditions, including Type 1 diabetes. Now schools in England have a legal duty to support children with medical conditions, including Type 1 diabetes.

Find out how we can support your school

Have you checked that your school has all the right procedures in place?

There are four key things that schools need to have in place to make sure a child with diabetes is safe and able to reach their full potential at school.

Medical conditions policy

Individual healthcare plan

Working together

Training and support

Find out just how you can get these procedures in place with our popularfree schools packswhich are full of practical tips to make caring for children with Type 1 straightforward. Over 30,000 packs have reached schools and parents.

Ourschools pagesare packed full of practical tools and templates that we know you’ll find indispensable.

Good Diabetes Care in School Award

Practical help for school residential trips and exams

Schools and parents have often told us that planning school residential trips and exams are stressful at the best of times, let alone when the needs of children with Type 1 diabetes come into play. We say that there is no reason for children and young people with Type 1 to miss out on residential school trips or not achieve their best at exams. And in England it’s also been a legal requirement since September 2014*.

To make sure children with Type 1 diabetes get the best out of school residential trips and exams, we’ve designed interactive tools that outline good practice and rights and responsibilities. They can be fully personalised and will guide you through the planning to in-practice stages of school trips and exams. We encourage your school to download this tool and put it into practice. We really need your feedback on these to make sure they work for you. So please let us know what you think at by completingour survey.

Talking about Type 1 diabetes in school

Supporting a child with Type 1 diabetes is not just about day-to-day care, it is also important to educate staff and students so that they understand the condition. Dispelling myths, fears and misconceptions is often half the battle. Ensuring that staff and other students understand and are supportive can make a huge difference to a child living with diabetes. We’ve made it easy for schools to raise awareness with our three bespoke presentations for schools. These come with easy to follow presentation notes and you don’t need to be an expert on diabetes to use them. They are perfect for use at school assemblies, staff meetings or PHSE lessons.

Why not hear it from the young people themselves?

We have 21 fabulous student films made by children and young people with diabetes as part of our Diabetes in School Short Film competition. These inspirational films throw light on common misconceptions about Type 1 diabetes, explain how diabetes impacts school life and shows that diabetes does not stop people doing the things they love from gymnastics to hockey. All 21 films are available for use by schools to help to raise awareness of Type 1 diabetes and what good care at school should look like.

Got any questions? Call our Helpline

If you have any questions about diabetes, caring for a child with diabetes at your school or you’d like more information on our support materials or programmes call our Helpline on 0345 123 2399*. The confidential helpline is staffed by trained counsellors who have extensive knowledge of diabetes and will take the time to talk things through and provide you with the help you need.